The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Rose City Chimes
UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone!
profile | register | preferences | faq | search
Steel Guitar Strings Strings & instruction for lap steel, Hawaiian & pedal steel guitars http://SteelGuitarShopper.com |
Ray Price Shuffles Classic country shuffle styles for Band-in-a-Box, by BIAB guru Jim Baron. http://steelguitarmusic.com |
This Forum is CLOSED. |
|
|
The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Rose City Chimes
profile | register | preferences | faq | search
|
This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Rose City Chimes |
|
Bill Myrick Member Posts: 1007 |
posted 17 February 2001 06:33 PM
Just curious--I have Rose City Chimes on an old vinyl Mid Night Jamboree album, done by Buddy Emmons and The Troubadours. I have never heard it done at any of the shows or for that matter never heard Buddy play it either. Does anyone play it anymore and is it ever done at any of the shows ?? Comments, etc would be interesting. Bill Myrick |
|
Craig A Davidson Member Posts: 1722 |
posted 17 February 2001 08:14 PM
Bill, Last show I heard it on was when Bobby Garrett played it at convention one year. I think the year they put him in the hall of fame. My understanding is that steels aren't set up in a tuning anymore to play it. I could be wrong but I think that's it. |
|
bd steelinforfun Member Posts: 375 |
posted 17 February 2001 09:12 PM
Junior Knight has played it "QUITE WELL" at some of the conventions, Dallas, Tulsa, etc.!! Bob Dell |
|
Dean Dobbins Member Posts: 395 |
posted 17 February 2001 09:47 PM
Bill- I messed with it a little, and considered playing it at the Quad Cities Steel Show in Blue Grass Iowa, last year. I couldn't get it together to where I was satisfied enough to play it in public, and I'm damned glad I didn't attempt it, because Dale Thomas came on a few sets later, and picked the livin $hit out of it! He would have blown me out of the water clear back to Rome, Ill, maybe even back to Tulsa, where I came from! Seriously, I only heard one note, that Emmons picked, that Dale left out, but I'm damned if I know which one it was. Dale is one monster picker, and a hell of a nice guy, and if you're any where near Waterloo, Ia. Feb. 24,& 25, 2000, try to get to Lefty Schrage's N.E. Iowa Steel Jam, and you just might hear him play. (Dale also has a knocked-out C.D. available) ------------------ |
|
Colin Goss Member Posts: 221 |
posted 18 February 2001 02:56 AM
Buddy was asked to play this at the British Steel Guitar Festival a few years ago, and he replied that he would have to retune the top string to do it, so he refused. I always wondered, was this played on a non-standard tuning? |
|
Neil Flanz Member Posts: 300 |
posted 18 February 2001 03:53 AM
Hi Bill, Bobby Garrett, who wrote Rose City Chimes played it on his C 6th neck using a high A string above the high G.This way you can also get the second group of chimes at the 12th fret.When Buddy recorded it he didn't have the high A string and went to the 24th fret using his 4th,7th,6th,4th,6th and 7th strings to get the second set of chimes.It just doesn't produce the same chime effect as with the high A string.I've heard Jeff Newman do an excellent job of it, in fact he played it the year that Bobby Garrett was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame.I believe that he used his E9th neck but I'm just guessing.During the innauguration, Weldon Myrick called in to tell a funny story about how Ralph Emery once asked him to play it and was very disappointed when Weldon told him that his steel tuning wasn't set up to play it.Some time later on when Bobby Garrett appeared on Ralph's show ,Ralph asked Bobby to play it and was told that he couldn't play it as has he had changed his tuning and wasn't set up to play it either. A little bit of trivia here. |
|
John Paul Jones Member Posts: 305 |
posted 18 February 2001 08:45 AM
If you don't mind playing it in E -- and why should you mind -- all the notes set perfect on the E9 neck using your a-pedal for the first change. John Paul Jones |
|
Jody Sanders Member Posts: 2889 |
posted 18 February 2001 03:41 PM
The advent of tuning the first string on C6th to D instead of G is why the instrumental is not heard a lot. When I had a G note on my first string of C6th, i put an A raise on a pedal and it worked fine. Best regards, Jody. |
|
Bill Myrick Member Posts: 1007 |
posted 18 February 2001 07:55 PM
Thanks guys, for all the great info. It never dawned on me that it was the tuning that kept it in the shadows so to speak. Is it a really difficult number to play ? It sounds like it to me but then so does most of them. *S* Another thing--I wish I could have heard Bobby Play it--was it a little differant than how Buddy played it ? |
|
Neil Flanz Member Posts: 300 |
posted 18 February 2001 08:27 PM
Bill,Bobby recorded it twice. Once in 1958 which was Ralph Emery's theme song for his WSM all night radio show, and again in 1964. Two completely different arrangements that are both outstanding. I would e-mail you a wav attachment of the tunes but the quality on my cassette tape isn't that great.Claude Gray found a copy of it in a pile of "get rid of records" at a record shop in Texas and played it for Ralph who used it as his theme every night for as long as the show ran. [This message was edited by Neil Flanz on 18 February 2001 at 08:29 PM.] |
|
wayne yakes md Member Posts: 650 |
posted 21 February 2001 10:39 AM
1. Bobby Garrett recorded it in 1958(himself with Johnny Gimble on fiddle and did that great mandolin solo),1962(LIVE at Cheyenne Frontier Days with Hank Thompson and the Brazos Valley Boys, Roy Clark was sitting in with them at Hank's invitation and did the guitar solo in the middle), 1964(himself with his band), and 1984(himself with his band). 2. Ernest Tubb promised Bobby to record "Rose City Chimes" on his next album, but Bobby left him to play with Hank. Ernest, true to his word because he truly loved Bobby, did record it on his next album in 1961 "Midnight Jamboree", but Emmons did the steel and Leon Rhodes did the guitar parts. Buddy said he was never really happy with it over the years, but at Scotty's Convention 1997(the last Convention to see Bobby, Buddy, and Jimmy together), Buddy and Bobby were on stage after the awards ceremony and Buddy told Bobby "I recorded 'Rose City Chimes' and received alot a credit for it." Bobby said,"It's my favorite version." Buddy gave him a look and laughed, then they spoke about Bobby's cancer and was happy he was doing so well. They hugged, for the last time. Jimmy died the following Jan. and Bobby the following April in 1998. 3. Chuck Lettes and Doug Jernigan also recorded "Rose City Chimes". I know for a fact that Bobby told Chuck how much he liked Chuck's version of it. 4. I spoke with Buddy Charleton (a one time student of Garrett on a bus ride with him and the Texas Troubadors when Garrett was on steel and Emmons played guitar for Ernest) and he said "There isn't anyone who can play "Rose City Chimes" like Bobby. The way he grew up picking like Merle Travis since he was 12 years old, just made him train his hand to move a certain way. The way Bobby used his thumb was SO unique and different from anybody else. Only Bud Isaacs had a similar way to Bobby that he used his thumb as well." Bob White also said that only Bobby and Bud moved their thumb in that way. 5. Jim "Big Murph" Murphy, another steel guitar great with Hank Thompson as was Bobby, said "Bobby Garrett was not much different in age than me and others, but at his young age he was so far ahead of most steel players in his knowledge and ability. Imagine being 16 and touring with Jim Reeves, being 22-23 years old and cutting records with George Jones and Ernest Tubb, then that incredible work he did with Hank when he was in his mid-twenties! Bobby truly was born to play steel. Any seasoned player in his forties today or beyond would have a heckuva time playing what Bobby did so effortlessly way back then." 6. Buddy Emmons is still wearing the gold watch Bobby gave him when Buddy produced Bobby's comeback album in 1984 after Bobby quit playing steel for 12 years. Buddy said he had some concerns about anyone not playing for so long, but after he heard Bobby play, Emmons said on the record Jacket liner notes that "..it was business as usual.." Jimmy Day and Bobby go back together since 1954 and Jimmy introduced Buddy to Bobby in 1956. |
|
Randy Pettit Member Posts: 323 |
posted 26 February 2001 01:23 PM
Does anyone know if a recording of "Rose City Chimes" is commercially available? I'd love to hear the original (or very close to the original) version. |
|
Ray Montee Member Posts: 4090 |
posted 26 February 2001 06:04 PM
After reading this post, I went over and seated myself before the Emmons. I've not even thought about the song in a jillion years but had no difficulty in playing it on the E9th neck. I don't understand the problem. A common excuse for not playing something that is not a favorite of the picker, is to say "I don't have the right tuning on the guitar". People don't know what you're saying so.....wander off and leave you alone. A possibility here? |
|
Jim Smith Member Posts: 6399 |
posted 26 February 2001 07:15 PM
Rose City Chimes was written in the key of C. The E9 part is easy to play in any key, but you need the low notes to play the Merle Travis bass notes in the finger picking part. I guess you could do it in B on a Universal and a passable job in E on an extended E9, but it's not going to sound the same. |
|
Dean Dobbins Member Posts: 395 |
posted 26 February 2001 07:28 PM
Just got back from the 2001 N.E. Iowa Steel Guitar Jam in Waterloo, and damned if Dale Thomas didn't do it again!! ------------------ |
|
Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 26 February 2001 08:04 PM
Was Bobby's 1964 version of Rose City Chimes the version he recorded for the Longhorn label? |
|
KEVIN OWENS Member Posts: 209 |
posted 26 February 2001 08:48 PM
Jason Yes, Longhorn # 542. Rose City Chimes/Moonlit Shores Kevin |
|
Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 27 February 2001 05:46 AM
Thank you Kevin, ..also does anyone know anything about the sides Bobby cut as part of the Shrimpers for the Paula label? Jason |
|
Bob Knight Member Posts: 3117 |
posted 01 March 2001 06:26 PM
Jason, I probably have the Shrimpers album. I'll find it and get back to you. Bob |
|
Craig A Davidson Member Posts: 1722 |
posted 01 March 2001 09:13 PM
Does anybody have a tab for this tune? I have heard so much about it, and after hearing Dale Thomas play it last week, I have decided to learn it or at least try. ------------------ |
|
BobbeSeymour Member Posts: 5664 |
posted 02 March 2001 11:48 AM
I have been playing this composition for over 30 years and get many demands to continue to play iton many shows. Had I known that there was so much instrest I'd have made a vidio on how to play it! So, I now have decided to do so, Let me know where to ship it ,24.95$ each. (just the way Bobby arranged it originaly). Bobbe Seymour |
|
Bill Myrick Member Posts: 1007 |
posted 03 March 2001 01:37 PM
Bobbe--would that be for E-9th neck ?--I bet you get some takers. |
|
Terry Wood Member Posts: 1205 |
posted 03 March 2001 06:36 PM
Bobby Garrett was a great steel picker and composer. He was also a very gracious man. I am honored that I got to meet him and hear him play. I have played his Rose City Chimes steel for nearly 25 years too. Yes, I play it on my 14 stringer too. My favorite cut of the song was the one that Buddy Emmons recorded live with E.T. and the Troubadors. I don't know who played with him on that recording, maybe it was Leon Rhodes? But they done it up right! GOD bless you all according to HIS WORD! T.J. Wood |
|
BobbeSeymour Member Posts: 5664 |
posted 05 March 2001 08:13 AM
Rose city chimes has to be played on both necks,unless the player has an extended E9 tuning. Bobbe Seymour |
|
Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 05 March 2001 03:08 PM
Jody Sanders, I tried emailing you but the emails were returned "Users mailbox is currently disabled" .. I guess if I don't hear from you I will try a in a day or three. Jason |
All times are Pacific (US) | This is an ARCHIVED topic. You may not reply to it! |
Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain.
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46
Our mailing address is:
The Steel Guitar Forum
148 South Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA
Support the Forum